WEATHER VANE: WORKING WITH IMPROVISING MUSICAL AGENTS

This workshop delves into the fascinating world of improvising musical agents, demonstrating how software trained on specific datasets can perform in real-time alongside human musicians. Rather than aiming for broad applicability, these agents are designed for particular styles of improvised music. By interacting with these agents and their small datasets, participants will be encouraged to reflect on their own improvisational practices and consider what they seek in a musical partner.

The session highlights both the potential and limitations of digital collaborators in improvisation. It aims to show how machine learning technologies can foster a concrete dialogue, blending human agency with instrumental technique. Weather Vane's performers will use instruments like the saxophone, eTubes, and clarinet to illustrate how these AI agents respond to different timbres and harmonic spectra.